Lifting and lowering device for a record playback unit in a record playing device

ABSTRACT

A record playing device includes a record magazine that contains record holders with records located in superimposed storage compartments. A record playback unit is located adjacent the record magazine and a travelling transport device conveys a desired record with the record holder back and forth between a selected storage compartment and the playback unit. A lifting and lowering device is disposed above the playback unit and includes a vertically extending guide rod and a holding mechanism seated to glide on the guide rod. A bracket is fixed to the holding mechanism and includes a record hold-down element for receiving a record holder with a record. A motor-driven eccentric control is coupled to the holding mechanism for lowering and lifting the holding mechanism together with the bracket along the guide rod.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application No. 684,886filed Oct. 17, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,016.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a record playing device having two recordmagazines located opposite one another that contain record holders withrecords located in superimposed storage compartments, and having atraveling transport device to convey a desired record with theassociated record holder back and forth between the storage compartmentand a playback unit.

A record playing device of this type is known from DE 3,922,721.A1. Inthis case the record magazines, which each have a plurality ofsuperimposed storage compartments for storing a corresponding number ofrecord holders that each receive one record, are disposed laterally andopposite one another in a housing. A transport device that travels upand down to convey a desired record with the associated record holderback and forth between the storage compartment and a playback unit islocated in the space between the record magazines. The transport devicehas two pull-out devices for the record holders which can be controlledindependently of one another and that travel horizontally on thetransport device. The playback unit is stationarily mounted between andbeneath the two record magazines opposite one another. Either the twopull-out devices of the transport device are located in a ready positionfor pulling out a record holder for a record disposed in the associatedrecord magazine, or the one pull-out device has traveled into a centralposition in which it fixes the record with the record holder, the recordhaving been removed from the associated record magazine, concentricallyto the record turntable of the playback unit, while the other pull-outdevice remains in its ready position for the other record magazine.

In order to permit a temporally immediate, consecutive playback ofrecords, as is required in discotheques, in this known record playingdevice, a plurality of playback units having respectively associatedtransport devices are disposed in series one behind the other, with theinterposition of a record holder that is open on both sides andaccessible by means of adjacent transport devices, with a further recordmagazine provided at each end of the series. This is disadvantageous inthat a separate transport device is associated with each playback unit,which requires increased space. Furthermore, the records can always onlybe returned to the same record magazine after playback.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to create a record playing device of thetype mentioned at the outset which, in a simple and compact design,permits the next selected record to be readied before the end ofplayback of the previously selected record, and in which the records canbe removed from and returned to the record magazine in the desiredorder.

This object is attained in accordance with the invention in that atleast two playback units are provided that can be serviced by thetransport device and controlled independently of one another, and theindividual record with the record holder can selectively be transportedfrom the one to the other record magazine to the one or the otherplayback unit and, after playback, be replaced, again selectively, inthe one or the other record magazine by means of the transport device.

The result of these measures is a record playing device of relativelysmall size which, while a record taken from one of the two recordmagazines is played back on a playback unit, permits the next recordselected from one of the record magazines to be readied on the otherplayback unit, so that the records can be played back in immediatesuccession, i.e. without a pause. Moreover, the option exists that is tobe used particularly in regard to the selection of pieces of musicduring playback of slowly fading out the last seconds of the recordbeing played back and blending it with the first seconds of the nextrecord to be played, which is correspondingly slowly faded in. Theeffect achieved in doing this corresponds to the effect which resultswhen pieces of music are blended together in discotheques. Hence, aso-called disco atmosphere can be created by means of the record playingdevice. Moreover, due to the presence of two record playing devices, twodifferent pieces of music can be offered simultaneously in two differentrooms, for example normal jukebox operation in the one room andbackground music in the other room.

In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, theindividual records with the respectively associated record holder can beexchanged directly between the record magazines with the aid of thetransport device. This results in the option of automatically combininggroups of records of a specific musical style, for example folk music,in the record magazines.

In an advantageous embodiment of the subject of the invention, at leastone playback unit is disposed beneath and/or above each record magazine.This results in a particularly compact playback device.

To attain a short conveyor path for the records, in an alternativeembodiment of the invention, a playback unit is disposed respectivelybeneath one of the record magazines and above the transport device. Asan alternative, it is also possible to dispose two superimposed playbackunits beneath one of the record magazines. The records can thereby beplaced onto the playback units in the same direction of their horizontalmovement.

So that, for example, the disco effect can be achieved in one room byoverlapping pieces of music and background music can be offered inanother room, in a further advantageous embodiment of the invention aplayback unit is disposed above each record magazine and beneath thetransport device.

So that playback and storage of an individual record not present in arecord magazine can be performed in a simple manner in a record magazinewithout corresponding exchanging, in accordance with a furtheradvantageous modification of the subject of the invention, at least oneof the record magazines is allocated an insertion compartment thatreceives a record holder with a record in such a manner that, in theinserted state of the insertion compartment, the record holder can beconveyed with the record to one of the playback units or to a freestorage compartment of one of the record magazines by means of thetransport device, and the record can be exchanged manually in thepulled-out state of the insertion compartment. Accordingly, a record notpresent in a record magazine can be played back individually andpossibly stored subsequently in one of the record magazines. Aninsertion compartment is advisably provided beneath or above each recordmagazine.

Furthermore, in a record playing device in which the transport device,which can move in the stacking direction of the record magazines,encompasses two horizontally traveling pull-out devices for thehorizontal movements of a record holder with a record, these devicesbeing controllable independently of one another, it is preferablyprovided that the transport device is allocated a lifting and loweringdevice for further conducting the record holder with the record to andfrom the playback unit and disposed above each playback unit disposed inthe vertical axis of the record magazine. The result is an overallstructurally simple design of the transport device.

So that the record is precisely positioned on the record turntable ofthe playback unit during playback, in accordance with an advantageousembodiment of the invention, during its downward movement beyond theassociated playback unit into its end position, the lifting and loweringdevice that receives a record holder with a record places the recordonto the record turntable while lifting it from the record holder, andclamps it with the record turntable by means of a record hold-downelement stationarily disposed on the lifting and lowering device.

To realize a structurally simple drive for the lifting and loweringdevice, in accordance with a further advantageous embodiment of theinvention the lifting and lowering device can be moved up and down byway of a motor-driven eccentric gear control. The lifting and loweringdevice advisably has a bracket that receives the record holder with therecord, supports the record hold-down element oriented with the axis ofthe record turntable and is seated to glide via a holding mechanism on avertically extending guide rod. A drive motor secured to the holdingmechanism is preferably coupled with the eccentric seated on the shaftof the worm gear, the eccentric being supported against a stationaryroller in such a way that the upper and lower end positions of thelifting and lowering device are determined by this roller.

For the purpose of monitoring the movement of the lifting and loweringdevice, in one embodiment of the invention two superimposed forkcouplers that cooperate with a corresponding, stationarily disposed webare secured to the holding mechanism in order to recognize the upper andlower end position of the lifting and lowering device. Furthermore, asensor is advisably disposed on the holding mechanism to monitor theexact orientation of the record stored in the record holder in relationto the record turntable of the playback unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The concept underlying the invention is described in detail below by wayof a plurality of embodiments illustrated in the drawing figures. Shownare in:

FIG. 1 a front view of a record playing device according to theinvention, having indicated, possible conveyor paths of a record takenfrom a record magazine,

FIG. 2 an alternative embodiment of the record playing device accordingto FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 a further alternative embodiment of the record playing deviceaccording to FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 a further alternative embodiment of the record playing deviceaccording to FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 a further alternative embodiment of the record playing deviceaccording to FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 an enlarged, detailed representation of the record playing deviceaccording to FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 a cross-section through the record playing device according toFIG. 6,

FIG. 8 an enlarged section of the side view of the record playing deviceaccording to FIG. 6 in the direction of arrow VIII,

FIG. 9 an enlarged representation of the lifting and lowering deviceassociated with the right playback unit of the record playing deviceaccording to FIG. 6, and

FIG. 10 an enlarged representation of the lifting and lowering deviceassociated with the left playback unit of the record playing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The record playing device, by means of which information stored onrecords 1, particularly musical selections, can be visually read out andplayed back, comprises a housing 2 that has an operating panel, notseen, which has different keys connected to a central control unit, forexample a record selection key, a record playback key and a stop key.Record magazines 3 opposite one another are disposed laterally in thehousing 2. The record magazines 3 are designed to be identical to oneanother, and each possesses a number of superimposed storagecompartments for storing a corresponding number of record holders 4,each of which receives a record 1. A transport device 5 for the recordholder 4 that receives a record 1, which transport device travels up anddown, is located in the space between the record magazines 3. Thetransport device 5 has two pull-out devices 6 for the record holders 4which can be controlled independently of one another and travelhorizontally on the transport device. These pull-out devices 6 can becontrolled such that a record holder 4 can be conveyed with a record 1from a record magazine 3 into an empty storage compartment of the otherrecord magazine 3. If, for example, a record 1 from the left recordmagazine 3 is to be placed in the right record magazine 3, first theleft pull-out device, in the ready position with respect to the leftrecord magazine 3, engages the corresponding record holder 4 with therecord 1 and then conveys the record holder 4 into a central position onthe transport device 5, in which position it re-releases the recordholder. Then the transport device 5 travels again to the free storagecompartment of the right record magazine 3. Simultaneously, or possiblysubsequently, the other pull-out device 6 travels out of its readyposition with respect to the right record magazine 3 into its left endposition on the transport device 5, and here engages the record holder 4and conveys it into the storage compartment of the right record magazinewhile returning to the ready position. Subsequently, the transportdevice 5 returns to its initial position.

In the record playing device according to FIGS. 1 and 6, a playback unit7 that has a record turntable 8 is disposed beneath the two recordmagazines 3 opposite one another, and is serviced by the transport unit5 with the interposition of a lifting and lowering device 9 respectivelydisposed above the playback units 7. In this connection, for example arecord 1 can be conveyed with the associated record holder 4 onto thetransport device 5 by means of the left pull-out device 6 located in theready position. Subsequently the transport device 5 travels to thetransfer height of the left lifting and lowering device 9 located in theupper end position. Then the record 1 is transferred with the recordholder 4 by means of the pull-out device 6 into the lifting and loweringdevice 9, which thereupon places the record 1 onto the record turntable8 of the lifting and lowering device 9 while executing a correspondingdownward movement. During playback of this record 1, a further record 1can already be taken out of the left record magazine with the associatedrecord holder 3 and can be placed onto the record turntable 8 of theright playback unit 7 by means of corresponding actuation of thepull-out devices 6 and the travel paths of the transport device 5 andthe lifting and lowering device 9. This makes possible an immediate,consecutive playback of the records, possibly with overlap of the piecesof music. After playback, the records are returned to the left recordmagazine 3 during the reversal of the forenamed movements. Of course, incorresponding actuation, a record from the right or left record magazine3 can be played back on the right or left playback unit 7.

In the embodiment of the record playing device shown in FIG. 2, the twoplayback units 7 are disposed, with the associated lifting and loweringunits 9, above the record magazines 3, while in the embodiment of therecord playing device according to FIG. 3, the one playback unit 7 isdisposed, with an associated lifting and lowering device 9, beneath theleft record magazine 3 and the other playback unit 7 is disposeddirectly beneath the transport device 5, and the individual record canbe positioned on this playback unit 7 without the interposition of alifting and lowering device 9. In the record playing device illustratedin FIG. 4, two playback units 7, each having an associated lifting andlowering device 9, are located beneath the left record magazine 3. Therecord playing device shown in FIG. 5 has two playback units 7 that haveassociated lifting and lowering devices 9 and are located above therecord magazines 3, and a playback unit 7 disposed directly beneath thetransport device 5. In this case, an insertion compartment 10 isprovided beneath each record magazine 3. The individual insertioncompartment 10 receives a record holder 4 provided with a record 1 andthat can be engaged by the transport device 5. For this purpose therecord holder 4 protrudes laterally beyond the insertion compartment 10.In the pulled-out state of the insertion compartment 10, the record 1can be easily exchanged by hand.

Two guide rods 11, which extend parallel to one another and vertically,and on which the transport device 5 is seated to glide, are located onthe rear side of the housing 2. The guide rod 11 disposed centrally withrespect to the housing 2 is allocated a toothed belt 13 that extendsparallel thereto and is guided by way of deflection rollers 12, and isconnected to the transport device 5 by way of a clamp-type holder. Thelower deflection roller 12 for the toothed belt 13 is coupled with afurther deflection roller 14 for a toothed belt 15, which is connectedto the driving wheel 16 of a driving motor 17 whose direction ofrotation can be reversed. In addition, the transport device 5encompasses a bracket 18 having a record hold-down element 21.

Each lifting and lowering device 9 can be moved up and down by way of amotor-driven eccentric control 19. The lifting and lowering device 9 hasa bracket 20 for receiving a record holder 4 with a record 1. Thisbracket 20 supports a record hold-down element 21 oriented with the axisof the record turntable 8 of the playback unit 7 and operating withmagnetic force. The bracket 20 is seated to glide on a verticallydisposed guide rod 23 by way of a holding mechanism 22. A driving motor24 secured to the holding mechanism 22 is coupled by way of a worm gear25 with the eccentric 28 seated on the shaft 26 of the worm gear, whicheccentric is supported against a stationary roller 29. The eccentric 28is designed such that it determines the upper and lower end positions ofthe lifting and lowering device 9. Two superimposed fork couplers 30secured to the holding mechanism 22 and cooperating with a stationaryweb 31 serve to recognize the upper and lower end positions of thelifting and lowering device 9. To determine the exact position of therecord holder 4 with the record 1, a sensor 32 is attached to theholding mechanism 22 inside the lifting and lowering device 9. Thesensor 32 encompasses a two-armed lever 34 pivotably received in abearing 33 and whose one arm cooperates, by way of a burl 35 embodiedthereupon, with a central nub 36 on the underside of-the record holder4, and whose other, spring-loaded arm cooperates, by way of anangled-off end, with a fork coupler 37 attached to the holding mechanism22.

The preceding description of the drawings clarifies the construction anduse of the record playing device of the invention in its details. It isobvious to a person skilled in the art that the fundamental concept ofthe present invention can have much broader application, and is notlimited to the embodiments viewed in particular here. Thus, it ispossible, for example, to provide a plurality of playback units 7stacked one above the other instead of one of the record magazines 3, bymeans of which a number of different pieces of music can be performedsimultaneously in different rooms. Moreover, a plurality of recordplaying devices can be operated in connection with a PC computer, the PCcomputer being provided with corresponding input and output units in theform of an input keyboard, a display and an output printer. With the aidof the information either entered manually by way of an input keyboardor derived electronically from the records, the entire content of thestored records can be determined and processed in the sense of adatabase system.

We claim:
 1. In record playing device including a record magazine that contains record holders with records located in superimposed storage compartments, a record playback unit located adjacent the record magazine and a traveling transport device for conveying a desired record with the record holder back and forth between a selected storage compartment and the playback unit, said device further comprising:a lifting and lowering device disposed above the playback unit and including:a vertically extending guide rod; holding mechanism being seated to glide on the guide rod; a bracket fixed to the holding mechanism and comprising a record hold-down element for receiving a record holder with a record; and a motor-driven eccentric control coupled to the holding mechanism for lowering and lifting the holding mechanism together with the bracket along guide rod.
 2. The record playing device as defined claim 1, wherein the motor driven eccentric control further comprises a worm wheel having a shaft rotatably mounted on the holding mechanism; a stationary roller, an eccentric seated on the shaft of the worm wheel and supported against the stationary roller; a driving motor secured to the holding mechanism and a worm gear coupling the driving motor to the worm wheel for rotating the eccentric to thereby determine upper and lower end positions of said lifting and lowering device.
 3. A record playing device as defined in claims 1, further comprising two superimposed fork couplers secured to said holding mechanism; and a correspondingly stationarily disposed web cooperating with said fork couplers for recognizing the upper and lower end positions of the lifting and lowering device.
 4. The record playing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the record playback unit includes a record turntable and said record playing device further comprises a sensor secured to said holding mechanism for monitoring an exact orientation of a record stored in a record holder with respect to the record turntable of the playback unit.
 5. The record playing device as defined in claim 1, wherein during a downward movement beyond the playback unit into its end position, the lifting and lowering device places a record onto the record turntable of the playback unit and the record hold-down element is stationarily disposed on the lifting and lowering device for clamping the record with the record turntable.
 6. The record playing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said record magazine comprises two record magazines disposed opposite one another; said record playback unit comprises a plurality of record playback units each located in a vertical axis of one of the record magazines, the transport device conveying a desired record with the record holder back and forth between a selected storage compartment and a selected one of the playback units; and said lifting and lowering device comprises a plurality of lifting and lowering devices each being disposed above a respective one of the record playback units. 